Mr. John Tebbutt, F.R.A.S. Mr. JOHN TEBBUTT, F.R.A.S.. of Windsor, the well-known Australian astronomer, is the grandson of a very old colonist. His grandfather, John Tebbutt, emigrated to the colony in the year 1801, bringing with him his wife and two sons (Thomas and John), and an only daughter. Soon after their arrival in the colony the family &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; gave themselves up to farming pur- suits in the Hawkesbury district, but this occupation proving rather unsuc- cessful they opened a general store in Windsor, which rapidly became &amp;nbsp; the most important in the district. John, the youngest of the two bro- thers, married, and the fruit of this union was the birth, in Windsor, on the 25th May. 1834, of the subject of our sketch. The business was closed about the year 1842, and the father then purchased the Peninsula estate, I at the eastern extremity of the town, built thereon a residence, and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. The son was educat...

Mrs. Ann Greentree. MKS. Ann Greentree, whose photo appears herewith, is about the oldest Hawkesbury native living in the colony at the present time. The old lady was born at Freeman's Reach in the year 1807, and is now in her 93rd year. Her husband, the late Mr. Reuben Greentree, died about 18 years ago, and was one of the pioneer farmers of the Hawkesbury. Mrs. Greentree was the daughter of the late Robert and Ann Farlow, of Free- man's Reach, who were two of the earliest settlers of tho Hawkesbury. Mrs. Greentree had a family of eight children, among whom are the fol- lowing : Mr. Reuben Greentree, Wil- berforce ; Mr. George Greentree, Freeman's Reach ; Mrs. Wenham, Orange ; .Mrs. G. Turnbull, Sackville ; Mrs. J. Gosper, Meranburn. She has &amp;nbsp; also 60 grandchrildren, and 103 great- &amp;nbsp; grandchildren. She has resided at Freeman's Reach and Wilberforce nearly all her life, and since the dis- astrous flood of 1867, has resided &amp;nbsp; with her son, Mr. R...

Mr. Richard William Cob- croft, J. P. WHOSE photo we reproduce herewith was born in Wilberforce in the year 1854. He received his education at a denominational school at that town, a Mr. finder being the principal. After 7 years schooling at this insti- &amp;nbsp; tution he entered into the tanning business. In the year 1872 he hied to Sydney, and entered into the employ- ment of Mr. T. J. Dunn, of the Glibe, with whom he remained for a period of 14 years, nine years of which he held the position of manager. In 1886 he again returned to Windsor, &amp;nbsp; and started in the tanning business &amp;nbsp; on his own account at Newtown, where by capable management and no small amount of thrift. he has worked up a large and lucrative business - pro bably one of the most solid in the district. Mr. Cobcroft is also one of the largest shareholders of the famous Cleveland Bicycle Company, of the Equitable Building, Sydney. He is &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &a...

Rev. A. S. Swift. t _ FOR want of space;/in the Xmas number of the ADVOCATE, the fol-ö lowing omission was made in the le ttèrpress which accompanied the photo of the Eev. A. S. Swiff, also ( j&amp; Xmas poenv-whicb. we take the , Nearliest opportunity of publish- 1 ing:- A' Alfred ötanhope'jßwifl:, was born I of British parents in the year 1839, in Vietiná. éfttájfamag. private tuition in Germany and England, ^jaxteading pyefe^tjperiod of ten year?, ne decided to visit Australia, and almost immediately en'ered the Wesleyan Ministry in Victoria, and shortly after passed the theo logical carriculum examination as required by the church, and was ordained in Maitland, N.S.W., ia 1873. A great deal of Mr. Swift's colonial experience has been gained in both Queensland and Victoria ; but the majority of his time has been spent in this colony. Twenty five years ago he was located at the Lower Hawkesbury, and shortly after leaving that place, was mar ried to Eva, second daughter of the ...

A Clever Young Musician. MISS FLORENCE VALERIE j CROWLEY. The photo accompanying this letter press represents Miss Florence Valerie Crowley, formerly of. Windsor. This talented yoong lady is but 13 years old, and already displays marked- ability and wonderful precision ¿and power oa the puno, her execution being clear and snre. In the year 1897 she passed the junior examination of the A.M. A., and took a high place in the list of junior honors, receiving a medal for senior duet Slaying. In November of this year this dented young pianist took intermediate "honors far the musical examination being fourth on the list. " Vallie " (as she is familiarly called) is a bright little girl, and has been studying for some ye*» with Miss Maud Fitz-Stubbs, «ba speaks highly of her undoubted talent. She is at 5resent liviug with her grandmother, irs. B. Barnett, at Mr. G. Cobcrofts Commercial Hotel, Richmond. MISS FLORENCE VALERIE CROWLEY.

Volunteering Medicos. THE announcement that two of Sydney's leading doctors have volunteered for professional service in the Transvaal presents to the public, the other side of the picture. While war fever stricken soldiers are offering their services to put huies through the enemy, the doc tors are prepared to patch up those holes with all promptitude. Why, therefore, put the holes through ? might well be asked. Since such damage is to be done, however, the wounJeJ will be lucky who com9 under the supervision of Dr. MAO Cor mick. - He deservedly holds the position of champion surgeon ia Sydney ; at the hospital and places where he carries on his trade, Dr. MacCormiek'8 word-js law, and anything he says or does is right^" The medical students who go t> the hospitals to practice on the unfor tunate ones there,,* Sock round the doctor in shoals to hear his opinion on any important ease. A good* story is told of Dr. MacCormick, as. illustrating the simple faith soma people in the co...

---'-1-? . Ij Saan Settled. Lier Saturday, when city people were electrified by the report of th« relief of Ladysmith, a repo t got about that a confirmatory cable had been recorred by a prominent officer at the Paddington barracks; doubts being raised, arguments followed and eventually a bot was m ide be tween two men about the cable, one saying that he had heard from, a friend, who was a particular friend of the friend of tho aforesaid officer, that on receipt of the cable he had ordered champagne to flow like water -at the mess table. To .. settle all doubt on the point the othbr man rang up the orderly room at the telephone, and dskçd^if there was any confirmation^/gi^|e> earlier cable ; " No," catn&amp;&amp;í|¡pi answer, " we have heard no$j8$§¡£--: about it." " Do you know whe^SsV" they are opening unlimited cham pagne over at the officers' mess F* was the next question, "for if so, there may be something in it." " Wait a minute," replied the courteous^ orderly, "I'...

RICHMOND. .-* Volunteers tor the Transvaal. Mr. Bert Evans, part-proprietor of (he "Referee" and Sunday Times," who was for 13 years connected with thc No. I Squadron Lancer?, has volunteered for active cerviee in the Transvaal. Mr. Evans has during the hst month heen the guest of the lion Colonel Ilolborow. Mr. George Mortimer, of the Rich mond Co 3rd 1 «tautry regiment, who volunteered for serviré has passed the . shooting test and merimal examination, and has only now to nasa the rilling te't. George ia confident of passin? the latte-, and if fo is sure to go. He is only 17 years of ngp, but stands 6ft high. Wm Downes, better known as " Buffalo Bill" ha? also volunteered, and hied away to Sydney on Wednesday afternoon. He is an excellent horseman and a good shot, and we hope be will be accepted, as such men as be will prove most valuable in the Cape Colony and Transvaal country. Warrant-officer Sergeant-Major. Sulli van, has succeeded we hear, in his offer to volunteer for the Tr...

OBITUARY. £ At this time of the year when all looks pf sadness are cast aside and the festive season ia one of mirth, many homes have been made sad "by the grim reaper, Death, and the curtain of sorrow has, during the holidays, been cast over more than one household in the district. It is our painful duty to record the sad and untimely death of Mrs. Annie Caldecott, wife of Mr. Philip Oaldecott, of Sydney, and daughter of Mrs. Thomas Wood, of the Terrace, Windsor. Deceased was well known in the district, and al though her illness was a very se vere one, her death came as a shock to those who were near and dear. Deceased was only 29 years of age, and leaves an infant daugh ter a week old, death being due to illness following child-birth. The fanerai took place on Sunday morning last at 9 o'clock and was troll attended.. The coffin was car tied to St. Matthew's Church of England, where service was con ducted by the Bev. S. Gk Fielding. During the service the choir sang "Book of Ages,"...

I The Jewish Race. SOME alarm hos been caused ia Hebrew circles bj a statement that inter-marriages between members of their own faith and "Christiane " as they are called, is becoming very frequent. The ever - necessary Coghlan has been appealed to, and he decides that about 20 per cent ot the Jews who marry, commit their future happiness to non Jewish wires; that Jewesses are more constant to the faith where matrimony is concerned than men. Undoubtedly all the great causes, which in the past have kept this relic of a great people distinct,* hare no longer.any existence. In the British Empire there is no such thing as "Civil disabilities of the Jews' " ; in this colony we have members of the great race occupy ing the most honorable positions ia the country, and thero ""is no reason why they should not, they are j equal in ability, in character, and in patriotism to any other citizen, and it is quite conceivable that the time will come when they will enter-marry just as various mem ...

Theoretic Fighting:. MANY and various are the explana tions offered for General Butler's defeat, but the question which seems to need asking ie, why did he make, the attack at all. From cabled accounts the Boers were strongly posted ia great numbers among the hills on one bank of a river, and the British endeavored to cross the river at one particular spot ; what had tbe Boers to do but get all their artillery trained on to that one ppot, which could not have been more than a hundred yards wide at the most. It wc uld _^ not take anything like 20,000 men to block Buch an attempt as that. This has been the position in a iess exaggerated degree with all the British reverses ; the Boers were 60 strongly posted, that' a thousand could resist the attack of an army. It would seem better for the Brit ish to advance in force bv means of a detour, striking to level country.